This is so wild!! Ever wonder how people washed their clothes thousands of years ago? In India, for over 2,500 years, they have used the dried fruit of the Chinese soapberry tree, which contains natural saponins (detergent). It is so gentle it can even be used as a toothpaste. And when you're done with the berries, you can add them to the compost pile.

So why is this detergent so cool? We now know that many synthetic chemicals in detergents and cleaners are harmful irritants, at best, and toxic carcinogens at worst. Many people are starting to search for natural alternatives that aren't so risky, and that don't contaminate our bodies and our planet. It turns out there are people the world over who have known about the soapberry for not just hundreds, but thousands of years! If that isn't a testament to it's effectiveness, I don't know what is! And the soapberry is also supposed to have healing medicinal properties, according to Ayurvedic belief.

I was skeptical, yes, and so I just had to try this product. It worked fantastically! Cleaned my clothes with no strong scents, and left them so soft (apparently it's a natural fabric softener, too). Maggie's Pure Land says that this detergent is great for babies, people with sensitivities and/or allergies, and anyone looking for a natural alternative to harsh detergents.

There is a sample size you can try out without breaking the bank. So how do you use it? The soap nuts come with a cotton sack. You put a few of the "nuts" in the cotton sack, add it to your washing machine, and voila! you will have super clean clothes. Because the soap nuts do not sud much, they can effectively be use din high efficiency machines, too!